Reception maths activities

Engage young learners with maths activities for reception to build foundational numeracy skills and foster a lifelong love for maths through fun, practical, and supportive methods.ths curriculum and how to help your kiddos before they start Year 1.

The Doodle Star; a yellow star with two white eyes and a smiling white mouth

Author
Doodle Team

Published
July 2024

Reception maths activities

Engage young learners with maths activities for reception to build foundational numeracy skills and foster a lifelong love for maths through fun, practical, and supportive methods.

The Doodle Star; a yellow star with two white eyes and a smiling white mouth

Author
Doodle Team

Published
July 2024

Reception maths activities

Engage young learners with maths activities for reception to build foundational numeracy skills and foster a lifelong love for maths through fun, practical, and supportive methods.

The Doodle Star; a yellow star with two white eyes and a smiling white mouth

Author
Doodle Team

Published
July 2024

Key Takeaways

  • Reception maths activities help build essential numeracy skills and emphasise learning through play.
  • Activities such as counting games, shape and pattern recognition, and measurement make abstract concepts tangible.
  • Utilising educational apps and online maths games can enhance learning, while consistent practice and positive reinforcement solidify knowledge.

Reception maths activities play a pivotal role in developing a child’s early mathematical skills in a fun and engaging manner.

As children begin their Reception year, incorporating practical and enjoyable maths activities into their daily routine fosters a love of learning. This article explores a range of maths activities for reception designed to enhance learning throughout a young learner’s last year of EYFS.

Why are Reception maths activities important?

Reception maths activities are crucial for several reasons:

  • They build essential numeracy skills, such as counting, recognising shapes, and finding patterns.
  • Children learn best through play at this age. Fun and interactive activities keep develop children’s physical, social and cognitive skills.
  • Hands-on activities help children develop confidence in their mathematical abilities.
  • Maths activities rooted in real-life situations make abstract concepts more tangible and understandable.

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for families

10 Engaging Reception maths activities for kids

Counting games

  • Number hunt: Hide number cards around the house or classroom and ask children to find and arrange them in order.
  • Hopscotch: Use sidewalk chalk to create a hopscotch grid with numbers and encourage children to hop to the correct number as they count aloud.
  • Maths colouring sheets: Print free maths colouring sheets and see a beautiful picture emerge from basic addition and subtraction problems. We have 40 free colouring sheets you can download today! View them here.
  • Toy counting: Use toys like cars or blocks to practise basic addition and subtraction within numbers 1-10. For example, “If you have 3 cars and get 2 more, how many do you have now?”

Shape recognition

  • Shape sorting: Provide a variety of objects in different shapes and ask children to sort them into groups (e.g., circles, squares, triangles).
  • Maths nature walk: Take a walk around the neighbourhood and identify different shapes in the environment, such as road signs, windows, flowers, and trees. We have a maths in nature scavenger hunt you can download for free!

Measurement fun

  • Water play: Use measuring cups and containers during water play to introduce concepts of volume and capacity.
  • Height chart: Create a height chart and let children measure themselves and compare their height to objects or family members.

Telling time

  • Keep a daily schedule: Use a visual daily schedule to help children understand the concept of time and sequence of events.
  • Make your own clock: Make a simple paper clock with movable hands to practise telling the time.

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Select a year group

  • Number

  • Shape, space and measure

  • Patterns

  • Number and place value

  • Addition and subtraction

  • Multiplication and division

  • Operations (ASMD)

  • Fractions

  • Measure

  • Shape/geometry

  • Statistics

  • Ratio and proportion

  • Algebra

  • Probability

Sample questions

Integrating technology

Modern technology offers numerous resources to support reception maths activities:

  • Educational apps: Apps like DoodleMaths offer interactive and enjoyable ways to practise counting, basic addition, and shape recognition.
  • Online maths games: Turn screentime education with maths games websites tailored to the Reception maths curriculum

Role of parents and educators

Parents and educators play a significant role in facilitating these activities:

  • Consistency: Regular practice of these activities helps reinforce mathematical concepts.
  • Positive reinforcement: Praising effort and celebrating achievements, no matter how small, boosts a child’s confidence and interest in maths.
  • Collaboration: Communication between parents and teachers ensures a cohesive approach to a child’s mathematical development.

In conclusion...

Reception maths activities are an integral part of early childhood education, providing a solid foundation for future mathematical learning. By incorporating a variety of fun and engaging activities into everyday life, parents and educators can foster a love for maths in young children. These activities not only enhance numeracy skills but also build confidence, problem-solving abilities, and a lifelong enthusiasm for learning.

Investing time and effort in reception maths activities today sets the stage for a bright and successful mathematical journey tomorrow.

Parents, sign up for a DoodleMaths subscription and see your child become a maths wizard!

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